§ 50. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Health if he has considered the communication sent to him by the councils 4W which administer the medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and ophthalmic services, asking him to abolish all charges for health services, in view of the fact that the present charges are preventing people from receiving the necessary treatment and are causing hardship; what reply he has sent; and whether he will give an estimate of the total cost of reverting to the free services of the 1948 Act.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe Joint Committee of Associations of Executive Councils has asked me to give careful consideration with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to its memorandum and I will certainly do this and write to the Joint Committee in due course. The estimated annual cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the charges for dental, pharmaceutical and ophthalmic services for England and Wales would be about £24½ million, after taking into account the refunds made in certain cases but without making any allowance for any possible consequential increase in demand.
52. Miss Leeasked the Minister of Health to what extent he estimates that charges paid for directly by the patient have prevented sick people applying for medicine and other essentials, such as dental treatment and spectacles; and if he will introduce legislation to remove all health charges.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI do not accept the implication of the first part of the Question, and would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to Questions on 2nd and 30th November.